Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella took responsibility for his team’s 7-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday.
“It’s my job to prepare this team in this type of situation,” Tortorella told reporters postgame. “I haven’t done a good enough job the past couple games.”
He added, “This falls on me. I’m not really interested in learning how to coach in this type of season, where we’re at right now. But I have to do a better job.”
The Flyers have now lost six straight games.
Tuesday’s defeat comes just two days after Philadelphia suffered a 7-4 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. The team has gone 1-10-1 in its last 12 contests as it heads toward a last-place finish in the Metropolitan Division.
Tortorella expanded on his comments during an interview with The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz on Wednesday morning.
“I know where we’re at. Let’s not dodge that. They know where they’re at,” Tortorella said.
“I’ve changed my coaching,” he continued. “When I was a younger coach, you say, doesn’t matter – 10 games (left), you go. … I think I have a better understanding of the situation we’re in as a guy that’s been in the league. I understand what I think some of the players are going through. It’s not the time to kick them.”
The 66-year-old coach ranks ninth on the NHL’s all-time coaching wins list with 770 victories.
Philadelphia currently has the fourth-worst points percentage in the NHL.
The Flyers are on track to miss the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season, including all three seasons under Tortorella’s leadership.
Tortorella won the Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004 and is one of seven coaches in NHL history to win multiple Jack Adams Awards.
